A spurt in militant activities in Meghalaya has set in motion a vigorous debate within this north-eastern state, breaking the tranquillity in the hills.

While the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council has suffered a series of blows in the past few days, allegations of a nexus between the militants and NGOs have created a flutter among the society.

A week after five militants, who were out on a mission to eliminate senior Congress leader H S Shylla, were gunned down by police, he accused the Khasi Students Union, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and a regional political party -- the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement -- of being hand in glove with the HNLC.

Shylla, also the chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, has been the target of militants for being vocal in favouring proposed uranium mining in the state.

The organisations, however, reacted sharply to the accusation terming it as "baseless and an old propaganda".

Virtually endorsing Shylla's allegation, Meghalaya Director General of Police B K Dey Sawian said, "Several cases of connection between the KSU and HNLC have emerged during police investigations in the past."

"In August 2000, two KSU activists were killed along with a HNLC area commander at Nongshiliang. Some leaders of the student body were also involved in the murder of a student at Mawkhar way back in 1995," he said.

All such instances of HNLC-KSU nexus would be brought to the notice of the state government and the Centre for future action, he said.